Section 5

From this I was aroused, after I know not
how long, by a rustling amidst the greenery on
the other side of the stream. For a moment I
could see nothing but the waving summits of
the ferns and reeds. Then suddenly upon the
bank of the stream appeared Something — at
first I could not distinguish what it was. It
bowed its round head to the water, and began to
drink. Then I saw it was a man, going on all-
fours like a beast. He was clothed in bluish
cloth, and was of a copper- coloured hue, with
black hair. It seemed that grotesque ugliness
was an invariable character of these islanders.
I could hear the suck of the water at his lips as
he drank.

70

The Thing in the Forest.

I leant forward to see him better, and a
piece of lava, detached by my hand, went pat-
tering down the slope. He looked up guiltily,
and his eyes met mine. Forthwith he scram-
bled to his feet, and stood wiping his clumsy
hand across his mouth and regarding me. His
legs were scarcely half the length of his body.
So, staring one another out of countenance, we
remained for perhaps the space of a minute.
Then, stopping to look back once or twice, he
slunk off among the bushes to the right of me,
and I heard the swish of the fronds grow faint
in the distance and die away. Long after he
had disappeared, I remained sitting up staring in
the direction of his retreat. My drowsy tran-
quillity had gone.

I was startled by a noise behind me, and
turning suddenly saw the flapping white tail of
a rabbit vanishing up the slope. I jumped to
my feet. The apparition of this grotesque,
half-bestial creature had suddenly populated the
stillness of the afternoon for me. I looked
around me rather nervously, and regretted that
I was unarmed. Then I thought that the man
I had just seen had been clothed in bluish cloth,
7*

The Island of Doctor Moreau.

had not been naked as a savage would have
been ; and I tried to persuade myself from that
fact that he was after all probably a peaceful
character, that the dull ferocity of his counte-
nance belied him.

Yet I was greatly disturbed at the apparition.
I walked to the left along the slope, turning my
head about, and peering this way and that
among the straight stems of the trees. Why
should a man go on all-fours and drink with his
lips ? Presently I heard an animal wailing
again, and taking it to be the puma, I turned
about and walked in a direction diametrically
opposite to the sound. This led me down to
the stream, across which I stepped and pushed
my way up through the undergrowth beyond.

I was startled by a great patch of vivid scar-
let on the ground, and going up to it found it
to be a peculiar fungus, branched and corru-
gated like a foliaceous lichen, but deliquescing
into slime at the touch ; and then in the shadow
of some luxuriant ferns I came upon an unpleas-
ant thing, — the dead body of a rabbit covered
with shining flies, but still warm and with the
head torn off. I stopped aghast at the sight of
72

The Thing in the Forest.

the scattered blood. Here at least was one
visitor to the island disposed of ! There were
no traces of other violence about it. It looked
as though it had been suddenly snatched up and
killed ; and as I stared at the little furry body
came the difficulty of how the thing had been
done. The vague dread that had been in my
mind since I had seen the inhuman face of the
man at the stream grew distincter as I stood
there. I began to realise the hardihood of my
expedition among these unknown people. The
thicket about me became altered to my imagina-
tion. Every shadow became something more
than a shadow, — became an ambush ; every
rustle became a threat. Invisible things seemed
watching me. I resolved to go back to the
enclosure on the beach. I suddenly turned
away and thrust myself violently, possibly even
frantically, through the bushes, anxious to get a
clear space about me again.

I stopped just in time to prevent myself
emerging upon an open space. It was a kind
of glade in the forest, made by a fall ; seedlings
were already starting up to struggle for the
vacant space ; and beyond, the dense growth
73

The Island of Doctor Moreau.

of stems and twining vines and splashes of fungus
and flowers closed in again. Before me, squat-
ting together upon the fungoid ruins of a huge
fallen tree and still unaware of my approach,
were three grotesque human figures. One was
evidently a female ; the other two were men.
They were naked, save for swathings of scarlet
cloth about the middle ; and their skins were
of a dull pinkish-drab colour, such as I had seen
in no savages before. They had fat, heavy,
chinless faces, retreating foreheads, and a scant
bristly hair upon their heads. I never saw such
bestial-looking creatures.

They were talking, or at least one of the
men was talking to the other two, and all three
had been too closely interested to heed the
rustling of my approach. They swayed their
heads and shoulders from side to side. The
speaker's words came thick and sloppy, and
though I could hear them distinctly I could not
distinguish what he said. He seemed to me to
be reciting some complicated gibberish. Pres-
ently his articulation became shriller, and spread-
ing his hands he rose to his feet. At that the
others began to gibber in unison, also rising to
74

The Thing in the Forest.

their feet, spreading their hands and swaying
their bodies in rhythm with their chant. I
noticed then the abnormal shortness of their
legs, and their lank, clumsy feet. All three
began slowly to circle round, raising and stamp-
ing their feet and waving their arms ; a kind of
tune crept into their rhythmic recitation, and a re-
frain, — " Aloola, " or «« Balloola," it sounded
like. Their eyes began to sparkle, and their
ugly faces to brighten, with an expression of
strange pleasure. Saliva dripped from their
lipless mouths.

Suddenly, as I watched their grotesque and
unaccountable gestures, I perceived clearly for
the first time what it was that had offended me,
what had given me the two inconsistent and
conflicting impressions of utter strangeness and
yet of the strangest familiarity. The three
creatures engaged in this mysterious rite were
human in shape, and yet human beings with the
strangest air about them of some familiar animal.
Each of these creatures, despite its human form,
its rag of clothing, and the rough humanity of its
bodily form, had woven into it — into its move-
ments, into the expression of its countenance,

75

The Island of Doctor Moreau.

into its whole presence — some now irresistible
suggestion of a hog, a swinish taint, the unmis-
takable mark of the beast.

I stood overcome by this amazing realisation ;
and then the most horrible questionings came
rushing into my mind. They began leaping in
the air, first one and then the other, whooping
and grunting. Then one slipped, and for a
moment was on all-fours, — to recover, indeed,
forthwith. But that transitory gleam of the
true animalism of these monsters was enough.

I turned as noiselessly as possible, and be-
coming every now and then rigid with the fear
of being discovered, as a branch cracked or a
leaf rustled, I pushed back into the bushes. It
was long before I grew bolder, and dared to
move freely. My only idea for the moment
was to get away from these foul beings, and I
scarcely noticed that I had emerged upon a
faint pathway amidst the trees. Then suddenly
traversing a little glade, I saw with an unpleas-
ant start two clumsy legs among the trees, walk-
ing with noiseless footsteps parallel with my
course, and perhaps thirty yards away from me.
The head and upper part of the body were

The Thing in the Forest.

hidden by a tangle of creeper. I stopped
abruptly, hoping the creature did not see me.
The feet stopped as I did. So nervous was I
that I controlled an impulse to headlong flight
with the utmost difficulty. Then looking hard,
I distinguished through the interlacing network
the head and body of the brute I had seen
drinking. He moved his head. There was an
emerald flash in his eyes as he glanced at me
from the shadow of the trees, a half-luminous
colour that vanished as he turned his head again.
He was motionless for a moment, and then
with a noiseless tread began running through
the green confusion. In another moment he
had vanished behind some bushes. I could not
see him, but I felt that he had stopped and was
watching me again.

What on earth was he, — man or beast ?
What did he want with me ? I had no weapon,
not even a stick. Flight would be madness.
At any rate the Thing, whatever it was, lacked
the courage to attack me. Setting my teeth
hard, I walked straight towards him. I was
anxious not to show the fear that seemed chill-
ing my backbone. I pushed through a tangle

77

The Island of Doctor Moreau.

of tall white-flowered bushes, and saw him
twenty paces beyond, looking over his shoulder
at me and hesitating. I advanced a step or
two, looking steadfastly into his eyes.

" Who are you ? " said I.

He tried to meet my gaze. "No!" he
said suddenly, and turning went bounding away
from me through the undergrowth. Then he
turned and stared at me again. His eyes shone
brightly out of the dusk under the trees.

My heart was in my mouth ; but I felt my
only chance was bluff, and walked steadily
towards him. He turned again, and vanished
into the dusk. Once more I thought I caught
the glint of his eyes, and that was all.

For the first time I realised how the lateness
of the hour might affect me. The sun had set
some minutes since, the swift dusk of the tropics
was already fading out of the eastern sky, and a
pioneer moth fluttered silently by my head.
Unless I would spend the night among the
unknown dangers of the mysterious forest, I
must hasten back to the enclosure. The thought
of a return to that pain-haunted refuge was
extremely disagreeable, but still more so was

78

The Thing in the Forest.

the idea of being overtaken in the open by dark-
ness and all that darkness might conceal. I
gave one more look into the blue shadows that
had swallowed up this odd creature, and then
retraced my way down the slope towards the
stream, going as I judged in the direction from
which I had come.

I walked eagerly, my mind confused with
many things, and presently found myself in a
level place among scattered trees. The colour-
less clearness that comes after the sunset flush
was darkling ; the blue sky above grew momen-
tarily deeper, and the little stars one by one
pierced the attenuated light ; the interspaces of
the trees, the gaps in the further vegetation, that
had been hazy blue in the daylight, grew black
and mysterious. I pushed on. The colour
vanished from the world. The tree-tops rose
against the luminous blue sky in inky silhouette,
and all below that outline melted into one form-
less blackness. Presently the trees grew thinner,
and the shrubby undergrowth more abundant.
Then there was a desolate space covered with a
white sand, and then another expanse of tangled
bushes. I did not remember crossing the sand-
79

The Island of Doctor Moreau.

opening before. I began to be tormented by a
faint rustling upon my right hand. I thought
at first it was fancy, for whenever I stopped
there was silence, save for the evening breeze
in the tree-tops. Then when I turned to hurry
on again there was an echo to my footsteps.

I turned away from the thickets, keeping to
the more open ground, and endeavouring by
sudden turns now and then to surprise some-
thing in the act of creeping upon me. I saw
nothing, and nevertheless my sense of another
presence grew steadily. I increased my pace,
and after some time came to a slight ridge,
crossed it, and turned sharply, regarding it
steadfastly from the further side. It came out
black and clear-cut against the darkling sky ;
and presently a shapeless lump heaved up momen-
tarily against the sky-line and vanished again.
I felt assured now that my tawny-faced antago-
nist was stalking me once more ; and coupled
with that was another unpleasant realisation,
that I had lost my way.

For a time I hurried on hopelessly perplexed,
and pursued by that stealthy approach. What-
ever it was, the Thing either lacked the courage
80

The Thing in the Forest.

to attack me, or it was waiting to take me at
some disadvantage. I kept studiously to the
open. At times I would turn and listen ; and
presently I had half persuaded myself that my
pursuer had abandoned the chase, or was a
mere creation of my disordered imagination.
Then I heard the sound of the sea. I quickened
my footsteps almost into a run, and immediately
there was a stumble in my rear.

I turned suddenly, and stared at the uncertain
trees behind me. One black shadow seemed to
leap into another. I listened, rigid, and heard
nothing but the creep of the blood in my ears.
I thought that my nerves were unstrung, and
that my imagination was tricking me, and turned
resolutely towards the sound of the sea again.

In a minute or so the trees grew thinner, and
I emerged upon a bare, low headland running
out into the sombre water. The night was
calm and clear, and the reflection of the growing
multitude of the stars shivered in the tranquil
heaving of the sea. Some way out, the wash
upon an irregular band of reef shone with a
pallid light of its own. Westward I saw the
zodiacal light mingling with the yellow
6 81

The Island of Doctor Moreau.

liance of the evening star. The coast fell away
from me to the east, and westward it was hidden
by the shoulder of the cape. Then I recalled
the fact that Moreau' s beach lay to the west.

A twig snapped behind me, and there was a
rustle. I turned, and stood facing the dark trees.
I could see nothing — or else I could see too
much. Every dark form in the dimness had its
ominous quality, its peculiar suggestion of alert
watchfulness. So I stood for perhaps a minute,
and then, with an eye to the trees still, turned
westward to cross the headland ; and as I
moved, one among the lurking shadows moved
to follow me.

My heart beat quickly. Presently the broad
sweep of a bay to the westward became visible,
and I halted again. The noiseless shadow
halted a dozen yards from me. A little point
of light shone on the further bend of the curve,
and the grey sweep of the sandy beach lay feint
under the starlight. Perhaps two miles away
was that little point of light. To get to the
beach I should have to go through the trees
where the shadows lurked, and down a bushy
slope'.

82

The Thing in the Forest.

I could see the Thing rather more distinctly
now. It was no animal, for it stood erect.
At that I opened my mouth to speak, and found
a hoarse phlegm choked my voice. I tried
again, and shouted, "Who is there?" There
was no answer. I advanced a step. The
Thing did not move, only gathered itself
together. My foot struck a stone. That gave
me an idea. Without taking my eyes off the
black form before me, I stooped and picked
up this lump of rock ; but at my motion the
Thing turned abruptly as a dog might have
done, and slunk obliquely into the further dark-
ness. Then I recalled a schoolboy expedient
against big dogs, and twisted the rock into my
handkerchief, and gave this a turn round my
wrist. I heard a movement further off among
the shadows, as if the Thing was in retreat.
Then suddenly my tense excitement gave way ;
I broke into a profuse perspiration and fell a-
trembling, with my adversary routed and this
weapon in my hand.

It was some time before I could summon
resolution to go down through the trees and
bushes upon the flank of the headland to the

83

The Island of Doctor Moreau.

beach. At last I did it at a run ; and as I
emerged from the thicket upon the sand, I heard
some other body come crashing after me. At
that I completely lost my head with fear, and
began running along the sand. Forthwith there
came the swift patter of soft feet in pursuit. I
gave a wild cry, and redoubled my pace.
Some dim, black things about three or four times
the size of rabbits went running or hopping up
from the beach towards the bushes as I passed.

So long as I live, I shall remember the terror
of that chase. I ran near the water's edge, and
heard every now and then the splash of the feet
that gained upon me. Far away, hopelessly far,
was the yellow light. All the night about us
was black and still. Splash, splash, came the
pursuing feet, nearer and nearer. I felt my
breath going, for I was quite out of training ; it
whooped as I drew it, and I felt a pain like a
knife at my side. I perceived the Thing would
come up with me long before I reached the
enclosure, and, desperate and sobbing for my
breath, I wheeled round upon it and struck at
it as it came up to me, — struck with all my
strength. The stone came out of the sling of